You might not expect to find fresh produce growing where you work or where you stay on vacation, but that's exactly what's happening at some Central Florida companies. Businesses are transforming rooftops, courtyards, parking lots, and unused land into working farms, growing their own food to reduce reliance on suppliers and serve fresher meals.
At the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, guests are often eating produce grown just steps from where they're staying. Farmer-in-residence Leslie Wilber oversees the hotel's on-site farm, where a wide variety of crops are grown throughout the year.
"I'm currently growing a lot of leaf lettuce. Leafy greens, seasonal greens. But I also grow garnishes," Wilber said. The farm produces organic fruits, vegetables and spices in neatly separated planter boxes, creating a working farm in the middle of a resort. Wilber said harvests happen frequently.
"And I'm harvesting three to four times a week," Wilber said. That food travels just 120 steps from the garden to the kitchen, where chefs say freshness and reliability make a big difference.
Read more at Spectrum News 13
